There is a Manchester United fan in the office who never tires of reminding me that it has been close to 35 years since Manchester City last won a major trophy.

If I cast my mind back two years ago, no competition was bigger than the Carling Cup, which doesn't even hold the distinction of second prize among English football's three major trophies.

It may be difficult, but I would tell Everton fans to take the advice written across the front of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and DON'T PANIC.

Following Saturday's 1-0 home defeat to Newcastle, the Blues are off to their worst start to a season since 1994/5 when they took just one point from their first five games (Opta Sports).

There is no doubt that David Moyes' side are stuck in a worrying trend.

As the table below shows, their points total in the first five games has decreased for five straight seasons.

The north west rivalry between Manchester United and Liverpool is one of the most intense in the Premier League.

Here are 10 things you need to know about the teams ahead of Sunday's meeting at Old Trafford.

1. Sir Alex Ferguson's league record against Liverpool since taking charge of Manchester United in November 1986 is W14, D12, L22. (Infostrada Sports)

2. When Ferguson arrived at United, he said he wanted to knock Liverpool "off their perch". From 1976-86 Liverpool won the league title eight times, but have only won it twice since, in 1998 and 1990.

Fantasy football enthusiasts looking for a reliable, low-costing midfielder guaranteed to play a full 90 minutes this weekend could do worse than to avert their gaze to a Newcastle United midfielder who is just as accustomed to wearing prison stripes as he is the famous black and white vertical ones his team don.

The new Premier League season is barely a month old, but already one of Manchester City's more mischief-making fans, or at least someone who claims to be, is calling for the head of Roberto Mancini, following a stuttering start to the new campaign that has yielded just five points from the club's opening four league games. 

Since Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed bought Manchester City two years ago, the club has been pushing its brand and increased its marketing around the world, especially in Abu Dhabi.

After a week off for international matches, and the odd tabloid scandal, the Premier League roars back into life with ten matches spread over three days.

There's plenty of good news lines in all the games, but I'm going to focus on the two Manchester clubs, both of whom have something to prove.

Five of Manchester United's seven defeats last season came away from home, with the final one at Goodison Park - where they were beaten 3-1 by Everton in February.

After a run of just one loss in 13 league games at the Toffees, United have now just taken one point from their last two trips to David Moyes' side.

Now the England international side has won a competitive match again, after a summer of discontent in South Africa, surely it must be time to reinstate Fabio Capello's men to their natural position as favourites to win the next European Championship. 

Forget about Spain, Germany or Holland, Bulgaria are the real masters of European football and England dispatched their Wembley opponents with aplomb on Friday night.